submitted by Donna DiGennaro, South Lake County Historical Society
Looking for something to do to entertain all those Northern visitors who have come to “see you” but are really trying to avoid winter weather? Why not visit the Historic Village located at 490 West Ave., Clermont just a few short blocks from Clermont’s Historic Downtown? Being so close to shopping and restaurants means you can combine your visit with time spent in quaint shops and eating an enjoyable meal.
Clermont’s Historic Village is a unique partnership between the City of Clermont & the South Lake County Historical Society which is open every Friday from 1 pm to 3 pm and every Saturday & Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. If those all too frequent visitors are not going to be here when the Village is scheduled to be open, you can call the Village Manager, Roxanne Brown, at 352-432-3496 to arrange a time for a private tour for you and your group. Admission to the Village during regularly scheduled hours is always free but a donation of $2.00 per person is requested. If you schedule a special tour, we ask $2.00 per person.
Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Minneola, the Village is home to five historic buildings and two replicas. The Townsend House, pictured above, was home to Clermont’s first permanent African-American residents, James & Sallie Townsend. As you stroll through this 1895 home, you will have the opportunity to see some items that actually belonged to the Townsends including a lovely photo of one of their daughters that hung on the wall when the family lived there.
If you are interested in history in general or the history of Lake County in particular, contact the South Lake County Historical Society by going to our website, ClermontVillage.org; by calling our manager, Roxanne Brown, at 352-432-3496 or by attending our membership meetings which are held on the second Monday of every month at 7 pm in the Train Depot in the Historic Village.
The next meeting will be on February 11th.
